It was the best of toys; it was the worst of toys. Imagine a radio-controlled car with a camera that's mounted from the viewpoint of where the miniature plastic driver would sit. Then imagine donning video goggles and earphones so you see and hear where the car is as you drive, and when you turn your head, the driver does too. Now imagine that you get to use it for 5 minutes at a time because it keeps breaking. We don't have to imagine; we lived it. It was like drinking the nectar of the gods, but then having the golden chalice slapped from your hands, and then hearing, "No! No RC Car fun for you!"
The first sign of trouble came in the form of a broken case. What would normally have been an attractive suitcase containing the car, visor, controller, and AC adapters was a broken wreck, packed too tightly in its shipping box and without padding. Fortunately, the contents appeared unharmed.
The Racer did not ship with a manual, so it took some time to make sense of the unlabeled cables, power converter used to charge the car, pistol-like transmitter/controller, and visor power supply. But once figured out, it was go time.
The visor contains two LCDs that make for big-screen driving fun. An accelerometer in the controller detects head movement and turns the driver's head in any direction, so you can look around while you drive. Dual mics transmit stereo sound to you as you drive under bushes and trees or chase down pets, which are both frightened and intrigued by the car. The car's motor is pretty powerful (and all-wheel drive), and the car will shoot off, leaving you in awe and reeling as you speed under full-size autos, plow though deep grass, or bound across roots and over mounds of dirt.